John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I apologise to Deputy Rabbitte for the fact that the Minister, Deputy Harney, cannot be available to respond to this Adjournment matter. I am therefore taking it on behalf of the Minister.

Our Lady's Children's Hospital in Crumlin is Ireland's largest paediatric hospital and provides a wide range of secondary and tertiary paediatric care. A significant portion of paediatric orthopaedic practice at Crumlin involves evaluation and management of children and adolescents with spinal deformity. The condition presents when children and adolescents are growing rapidly and may be progressive in childhood. The progression relates to growth and is particularly seen in early childhood, one to five years, and during rapid adolescent growth.

The hospital has a long-established programme for casting and bracing children less than five to eight years of age, as spinal deformity may be a major challenge when their lungs and chest organs are going through a critical phase in development. In older children and adolescents, the optimal treatment is often one operation called "instrumented deformity correction and fusion". Patients suitable for this operation are prioritised for surgery based on clinical need.

I understand that it would not be appropriate to discuss the specific circumstances of individual cases, such as those raised by Deputy Rabbitte. However, I understand that the authorities at Crumlin are seeking to agree arrangements with the National Treatment Purchase Fund for a number of patients to be treated as soon as possible. I would hope that early progress can be made in this regard. The HSE and the three Dublin paediatric hospitals are also having discussions with a view to establishing the potential to improve the existing arrangements for the provision of paediatric orthopaedic services generally.

I thank the Deputy for raising the matter and I wish I could be more forthcoming in my response.

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